The invention relates to the manufacture of picture frames. The term picture frames as used in the industry and herein refers to an extruded member, almost always plastic, which can assume several geometric configurations. The picture frame is mitered at either end and notched between the mitered ends. The extruded member is folded at the notches and joined at the mitered ends when assembled, such as with backing, glass and/or a photograph or poster or the like. For a rectangular frame, there would be two mitered ends and three intermediate notches spaced such that the picture frame when folded folds on 90.degree. angles.
Presently, when mitering and notching the picture frames, the size and shape (square, rectangular, etc.) of the picture frame is determined. The picture frame as extruded from an extrusion machine is cut to a length (size) slightly greater than will be required to form the picture frame. The present systems typically comprises several punch stations, i.e. two end mitering stations and two or more intermediate notching stations. For a rectangular frame, there would be three notching stations. Prior to a production run for a rectangular frame, the five stations are adjusted to ensure the proper spacing and thereby the proper dimensioning for the miters and notches. The picture frame is usually hand fed into the system. That is, a machine operator will insert the picture frame into the dies and then the two punches at either end which form the left and right hand miters and the three intermediate punches which form the notches will be actuated simultaneously. Subsequently, the notched and mitered picture frame is removed and a new picture frame is hand fed laterally into the machine.
Therefore, a major drawback of the present systems is the need for a separate punch for each notching and mitering station and the requirement of repositioning the punches each time the size and shape of a picture frame changes.
Also, in the prior art, the standard picture frame is snapped in place on the dies with the back piece vertical. However, picture frames of unique styles, say for example a frame with a 270.degree. circular configuration (end view), cannot be conventionally punched because the picture frame cannot be positioned on the dies. In the present invention the picture frame is fed linearly into the system, not laterally, and therefore the system can process any style picture frame.
The present invention is directed to a system which utilizes two stations for any size and shape of picture frame. One punch forms the right and left hand mitered ends and the other punch forms the intermediate notches. The present invention eliminates the requirement that the picture frame be laterally inserted or hand fed to the system. In the system of the invention, the picture frame is fed in line or linearly into the system. This allows the system to be placed in line with the extrusion machine that extrudes the picture frame. As the picture frame is extruded, it is fed directly into the system.
The system eliminates the necessity of a single punch for each mitering and notching stations and the requirement of physically repositioning the punches each time a picture frame of a different size is made.
A further advantage of the system is that smaller picture frames, such as would form a 3.times.5 inch picture frame, can be made. In the prior art system, the punches for forming the miters and the notches simply could not be physically placed close enough together to form the notches in the picture frame. With the present invention, the picture frame can be moved forwardly or rearwardly and there are only two punches involved.
Broadly the invention comprises a system for the formation of a finished picture frame(s) comprising at least first and second punching stations to miter and notch the picture frame, means to drive the picture frame through the stations and means to control in stepped sequence the movement of the picture frame through the stations. The picture frame moves linearly through the system with stops at each station and the punches at the stations effect the mitering and notching of the picture frame.